Game, Set, Match
by omegatrinity
Summary: SanjiUsopp. In which an intense game is played between men.


**Disclaimer: **I don't own One Piece or the characters, but Eiichiro Oda TOTALLY does.

The sea grew silent and the only sounds overhead were the cries of seagulls. A crowd gathered; pushing through the streets to see the action first hand. After all, there had been few that had ever witnessed amazing feats such as these. The tension was palpable and the thousands of onlookers were almost afraid to utter a word out of fear that they would ruin the concentration of the two dueling men. Not even babies dared challenge the silence.

"Are you going to play or not?"

What's that? A blatant punch is thrown; a confrontation breaks through the quiet and an epic battle rages. Children will be telling this tale to their descendants. But this is no ordinary scrimmage, no; this will go down in history as a legend.

"Will you _serve_?" Usopp's monologue is interrupted, quite rudely, by Sanji. Usopp's eyebrows furrow and he stares at Sanji with an intense concentration, but not without a look that says, _'You couldn't put up with it for another minute?'_ The chef's foot is blatantly tapping against the wood; his visible eye glares daggers into his reflection in Usopp's goggles.

There's a collective "Aww!" from Luffy and Chopper –the crowd of thousands- disappointed in the end of the story, stay to see the game unfold. Luffy explains, in all of his sagely knowledge of the game, that the match is over when the ball is finally aflame from the sheer speed; he heard it from Usopp who is a master of the sport. Chopper squeals with excitement, no wonder there are stories told in other islands, Usopp is so amazing!

Sanji frowns deeper, frustrated that they have not _actually_ started the game; and demands they serve or he might as well start dinner. There is a chorus of childish, "Nooo! Sanji, c'mon!" from all three of the other boys, and Nami –passing by at the moment- assumed that they had begged Sanji to tell a story of his own: everyone knew how much Sanji liked attention.

There's a quirk in the side of the chef's mouth and he leans in towards the sniper.

"Let's make this game interesting."

Luffy and Chopper looked up excitedly –what could be more exciting than things bursting into flames? There was an intense look in Sanji's eye and the two looked to Usopp to see how he would respond to the suggestion.

The sniper's face was flushed, no doubt because of his concentration. Usopp forced a furrowed brow, willing his voice to be as firm as his expression; and although he refused to voice it, he could not help but notice a mischievous glint in the cook's eye. Sanji had something planned, and the fact that he had not outwardly said what that something _was_ made Usopp nervous. Not wanting to look compromise the attention of his audience, he puffed his chest out and with a confident –although forced- look he scoffed to show just _how_ unafraid he was of a challenge.

"Alright, Sanji! You're on!" He was followed by the cheers of his captain and their doctor, throwing up their hands. This couldn't be _so_ bad, right? But the look on Sanji's face scared Usopp a little, and did he just lick his lips? Imagining things, Usopp decided, wouldn't Luffy and Chopper catch a gesture like that? Wouldn't they question it? He refused to notice their complete lack of attention now that the game was actually starting; their minds were back on the fire that would surely erupt.

Sanji gave a short laugh, "If I win, then you…" he trailed off pointedly, leaning over to finish the sentence he made sure only Usopp heard the terms of victory.

"What'd he say? What'd he say?" Chopper's voice sounded through the haze that Usopp's brain seemed to have found so inviting, and Luffy pumped his fists in excitement. He swallowed hard, his brain quickly calculating a response to the reindeer's question; Usopp turned animatedly to his two crewmates.

"If he wins…" The sniper discovered that when he wanted to most –right now would have been amazing- he could not come up with a single lie. "If he wins," and he turned to Luffy, "I'm not allowed to have any seconds," he looked down to Chopper and added with a grim tone, "for three weeks." The two gasped dramatically, Chopper really only mirroring Luffy's reaction and responding to the morbid tone in Usopp's voice. Luffy was sincerely mortified.

"No seconds? There's nothing worse than that!" At which Sanji rolled his eyes, but decided to play along.

"But you know you'll win, right Usopp? That's why you're the champion!" Chopper sang from beside the table, and Usopp gave him a reassuring nod.

When the game finally started, after a long-winded story that somehow had come to involve dragons and ancient battles with short weaponry, Sanji had finally calmed the three of them down enough to get the ball into play. Luffy and Chopper had forgotten the excitement of fire, and were surprised to see that Sanji was giving Usopp a hard time. Luffy explained to Chopper that Usopp did that to throw Sanji off, there was no way he would lose, he was a champion. After a few more interruptions from the doctor and their captain, the two had finally come to a tie game, a fate that Sanji was not willing to accept. And as much as Usopp tried to convince Sanji that there was no chance of his victory, that they might as well play another time –maybe when the other two were not around- to ensure a fair game.

Sanji got the final shot –by supposedly cheating- and the final point.

Luffy's jaw dropped, and Chopper followed shortly. "No seconds!!" The two chimed together, reminding Usopp just _what_ was on the line here, and it certainly wasn't food. The chef's smirk was back on his face. Usopp stepped back, this couldn't possibly have just happened, and whatever Sanji had said earlier was just to throw him off his game, there was no way he-

"Ready to pay up?" That _look_ was the worst, the sniper decided, and he was glad the other two had not noticed it, he would have felt equally as violated if they were alone. But Usopp was a warrior, a man of the sea, and he always kept his word. Sanji crossed the deck towards the men's quarters.

"I'll see you below deck." He murmured against Usopp's ear, quiet enough so that he was not even sure Sanji had said _anything_. He watched Luffy and Chopper run to Zoro to explain the terrible results of the match; the swordsman opened an eye enough to see Usopp's horrified expression.

Usopp shook his head, and headed towards the stairs below. That is the last time –seriously, the _last_- he will ever play ping-pong with Sanji.


End file.
